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JERSEYOT UPDATE: I broke my back - in hospital

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  • #91
    Jerseyot--
    I am so sorry to hear this. The Serenity Prayer is a good place to start. You have many positive thoughts and prayers heading east from here in Iowa. Take care. Janet
    Janet

    61 years old--57 for surgery

    Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
    Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
    Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
    Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
    T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.

    All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.

    Comment


    • #92
      So very sorry to hear this. You're overdue some good luck soon. There is still hope that it will heal. Meantime, very best wishes and positive thoughts from down under.
      Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
      Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
      T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
      Osteotomies and Laminectomies
      Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

      Comment


      • #93
        Hi Michele,

        I'm really sorry to hear this latest news--I too hope your back can still heal. I wonder if a bone stimulator would help? It seems like this is one of the situations they are made for.

        Take care,
        Gayle, age 50
        Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
        Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
        Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1


        mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
        2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
        2017 curves stable/skeletely mature

        also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

        Comment


        • #94
          PS: thanks for all of you who vote (and KEEP VOTING) for my little "bright eyes" - his pic is at the bottom of page 2 now so just look for a cute little baby knowing on a yellow arc. Here's the link! You can vote every 24 hours:

          http://www.childrenseyefoundation.or...ion/photo-page
          1993/1995: PSF w/ Harrington rods T3-L4
          Jan. 24, 2012: ALIF of L4-L5, L5-S1 w/ cage spacer and BMP
          Jan. 31, 2012: PLIF of L1-S1 w/ pelvic anchors
          Scheduled Nov.15, 2012: Fusion T2-S1 w/ pelvic anchors to fix T12 fracture
          http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ot/myback2.jpg - BEFORE
          http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...CT2342x406.jpg - AFTER
          http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...CT1410x229.jpg - AFTER
          www.jerseyot.blogspot.com

          Comment


          • #95
            I am so sorry your vertebrae has not healed yet. Before you let you spine Dr. fuse you all of the way, wouldn't it be a good idea if you were to get a second opinion? You must be so frustrated by now. Do they make bone stimulaters for the thoracic spine? I will say a prayer for you.
            Sally
            Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
            Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
            Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
            Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
            New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
            Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

            "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

            Comment


            • #96
              Here's my good thoughts that you heal. I'm hoping that luck finally comes your way. I'm thinking of you and wishing you the best.

              Whatever happens, you must be one tough cookie and you'll get through it.

              Take care of yourself. You have a big team of supporters that are behind you.

              Hugs, Susan
              Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis

              2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
              2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
              2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
              2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
              2018: Removal L4,5 screw
              2021: Removal T1 screw & rod

              Comment


              • #97
                Oh honey! I am so sorry and I totally understand what you are going thru. We are about the same time out. Well from the first surgery in January. And seriously having young kids is exhausting! Getting up and taking care of me is already too much. I want to stay in better communication with you. I feel like you are my twin. lol We about the same age and both a two kids. My boys are 8 and 12 so luckily of for me they aren't as young as yours. So I have no idea how you are dealing with this. I would be losing it big time. Here is my cell if you ever want to talk or text me. Or look me up on Facebook. Search annabelle buchi rowlette. I would love to stay in closer connection with you. I feel like I have none to talk to about this and everyone who has not gone thru this has no idea what I am feeling. They think I am all better! And I should be super mom again. LOL Well I hope to hear from you and be more of a support for you.

                Annabelle

                Comment


                • #98
                  hi Michele
                  you are in my thoughts and prayers....for the best possible outcome...
                  i hope it works out the way you want it to....

                  about the voting....it now says a person may vote one time, not every 24 hours...
                  i have voted before, but it won't let me vote again....

                  jess....& Sparky

                  Comment


                  • #99
                    Originally posted by jrnyc View Post
                    so sad to hear that things are still so difficult, Michele...
                    hope they ease up soon....i am so sorry for all your pain...
                    i did vote for bright eyes...how adorable he looks!

                    Jenna, Michele wrote earlier in the thread that it is a
                    "clam shell body brace" that she has

                    for your surgery, i have never heard of any surgeons still
                    using body casts...maybe they do it differently in England...?

                    jess
                    Hi Jess,
                    Don't remember seeing that earlier in the thread.
                    Not sure what type of cast or brace I will have. My surgeon just said it will just protect my incisions and remind me to stay still and straight. I'll find out Wed what it will look like though. I'm kind of glad because I'm hoping it will give me some sort of support and once I can bend a little it will stop me from trying to bend how i'm used to bending.

                    Hopefully it wont be too bad
                    27 yr old Female.
                    Scoliosis since 12yrs, fusion to lower curve in 1998, costioplast 2001 and further corrective surgery 26 July 2012.
                    Now the proud owner of a very straight spine. T1- L5 fusion.
                    Mr Dunsmuir, Orthopaedic Surgeon, LGI Leeds.

                    Comment


                    • How are you feeling? I somehow thought I was talking to you and gave my cell number to someone else I don't know on this forum. THey were a little confused. LOL. But I wanted to check on you. I don't know how you are dealing with all of this. You feeling any better? How are your kids and hubby? Talk to you soon.

                      Comment


                      • Well for any of you who've been following me and my blog, I thank you and wish I had this earth-shattering wonderful news to share with you all...BUT, after another visit with my orthopedic surgeon, such is not the case. I'm sorry for all of you who have been emailing and PM'ing me....i'm just so completely overwhelmed that sometimes i wish it was a bad dream and i want to wake up in a new life. It doesn't forgive my not replying to you but i hope you accept my apologies and understand.

                        Back in March (24th to be exact), I somehow broke my T12 transverse process. I was fitted for a TLSO (a back brace) and spent a month in a rehab hospital getting strong enough to come home. I came home and was doing fairly well but continued with pain of varying sorts. Slowly, "things" started getting harder, my balance was getting worse, my strength seemed to wax and wane. My entire right side from my knee to my shoulder blades started to hurt more and more. But my doctor kept saying "Everthing looked fine" - everything was clearly NOT fine. I fell on my bedroom floor last weekend and my right foot continues to turn purple if I, my leg goes numb when out for breakfast and my right foot is always soooooo much colder than my left.

                        Today, the orthopedic surgeon was clearly disappointed to see that the T12 has not healed at this point. It should've healed by mid-May, so by 4 months it most definitely should have healed. It is still broken clear thru side to side, left to right thru solid bone (SEE BELOW: dead-center eye level)

                        T12fx.JPG T12fx1.JPG T12fx2.JPG

                        So with that news, the only way to fix it and stabilize the spine and vertebrae is to extend the fusion up to T2-3. He would leave the current screws in place in my lumbar spine, add more screws on either side of my spine up until the point at which he was satisfied, remove the current bars on either side of my spine and then place new ones (bars) the entire length of my spine. Sound familiar?? Didn't we just DO this?? Ugh. I often wonder why he didn't do this to begin with but at the time, his answer was "Your thoracic spine is solidly fused at this point so there would be no point in refusing that area."

                        So, I don't know...that's where I am...Oh yeah, on Monday my god-father is taking me to have spinal injections into my SI (sacroiliac) joint and tibial nerve under sedation. Thank GOD for sedation, and for poor uncle who will be here at the not-so-bright but very early time of 6am. His hope is that it will help with my leg pain and numbness and my right hip pain. Fixing T12 by fusing all the way will hopefully fix the very painful areas along and just right of my spine. Dear Lord, I pray it works.
                        Last edited by jerseyot; 07-27-2012, 07:12 PM.
                        1993/1995: PSF w/ Harrington rods T3-L4
                        Jan. 24, 2012: ALIF of L4-L5, L5-S1 w/ cage spacer and BMP
                        Jan. 31, 2012: PLIF of L1-S1 w/ pelvic anchors
                        Scheduled Nov.15, 2012: Fusion T2-S1 w/ pelvic anchors to fix T12 fracture
                        http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ot/myback2.jpg - BEFORE
                        http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...CT2342x406.jpg - AFTER
                        http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...CT1410x229.jpg - AFTER
                        www.jerseyot.blogspot.com

                        Comment


                        • I am so sorry this has happened to you. Have you thought about getting a second opinion? I guess I don't understand why you would need to be fused all the way to T2-T3 when the problem is at T12. Maybe I am missing something. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
                          Sally
                          Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
                          Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
                          Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
                          Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
                          New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
                          Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

                          "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

                          Comment


                          • Hi Michele,

                            I am SO sorry to hear this disappointing news, too. I can somewhat relate since I had to undergo a major revision 6 months ago for broken rods, and yes, I remember thinking "didn't we just DO this?"

                            I agree with Sally that a second opinion seems like a really good idea. I too don't see how refusing your already fused thoracic will fix this difficult-to-heal fracture, especially with him recommending to go up so high into the thoracic. I was also wondering if a bone growth stimulator would help?

                            Best of luck with your injection procedure coming up, and I truly hope you can get some pain relief. This has been such a long, painful haul for you, you really deserve some relief. Thanks for keeping us updated.

                            Take care,
                            Gayle, age 50
                            Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
                            Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
                            Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1


                            mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
                            2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
                            2017 curves stable/skeletely mature

                            also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

                            Comment


                            • hi Michele
                              i am so sorry to read that you will need more surgery...
                              i was hoping for the best for you....but am nt surprised that it
                              didn't heal right....i hope and pray this surgery will be the last
                              you ever need....

                              i had great results from SI injections....
                              i only stopped them after i was given too much steroid, and
                              it caused my cortisol level to plumet to nearly zero....
                              it caused mono like exhaustion....took 6 months to come back from...
                              all doctors should be taught that such a thing can happen....
                              but i am sure you will be fine...and i hope you get the huge pain
                              relief that i got from SI shots...
                              something about the location of the injections....they were the ONLY shots
                              that ever gave me relief from pain, and i had tried just about every
                              kind of shot there is....
                              nice that they are going to give you sedation...never heard of that before...

                              i keep you in my thoughts...and i hope you will be living pain
                              free in the future....you hav suffered so much....i am so sorry for
                              all your pain....

                              jess...& Sparky.
                              Last edited by jrnyc; 07-28-2012, 08:12 PM.

                              Comment


                              • Michelle,
                                My heart goes out to you. I am so sorry that you are needing another surgery. Could Linda recommend a surgeon who could at least look at your x-rays and make a recommendation or do you have total confidence in your surgeon?
                                Karen

                                Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
                                Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
                                70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
                                Rib Hump-GONE!
                                Age-60 at the time of surgery
                                Now 66
                                Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
                                Retired Kdgn. Teacher

                                See photobucket link for:
                                Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
                                Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
                                tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
                                http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

                                Comment

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